C4EO - Our people
C4EO staff
Christine Davies CBE – Director
Christine Davies has most recently been Programme Director for the LGA/DCSF
‘Narrowing the Gap’ (in children’s outcomes) programme which identifies leading
practice in improving outcomes for Vulnerable (Looked After) Children and young people. Before
this, Christine was a highly experienced Director of Children’s Services for
Telford & Wrekin Council. Under her leadership, the Council was recognised as an
exemplar in delivering integrated children’s services and was the only Authority
to receive two Beacon Awards for ‘Integrating Children’s Services’ and ‘Early
Intervention’ (Children at Risk).
Christine has held many national roles, over the last 10 years, including
President of the Association of Chief Education Officers and Adviser to the
Local Government Association.
She currently is a member of NCSL’s Guiding Coalition for development of leaders
of Children’s Services, sits on the Expert Panel for the National Safeguarding
Delivery Unit, is a Board Member for Partnership for Schools (BSF) and the
National Stakeholder Board for Children and Families.
Heather Rushton - Deputy Director - Programme and Performance Management
Heather is responsible for the programme and performance management of the C4EO
programme and its delivery. Heather has enjoyed a varied career working in
Children’s Services for 30 years. Building on her initial role as a class
teacher and culminating as Head teacher. Heather joined Local Authority work
during the 1990s and her last role was as a Children’s Services Adviser in a
Government Office. During her career Heather has been involved in the writing
and delivering of a number of national training programmes.
Helen Goody - Assistant Director - Theme Coordination
Helen has worked for Kent County Council for the past three years as a Joint
Commissioning Officer with a responsibility for planning and commissioning
preventative and early intervention services for children and young people with
a range of partners. She has also had a change management role influencing the
development of local children's services partnerships in Kent. Before that,
Helen was a Programme Manager for integrated children's services at the Local
Government Association and in particular, worked with national partners to
influence the development of Every Child Matters and the Children Act 2004.
Sue Rowley - Assistant Director - Locality Working
Sue Rowley has recently been working as part of the core team with the Narrowing
the Gap programme where she led consultation on the Early Years theme and worked
closely with the regional offices, organising nine regional conferences. Moving
on from an initial teaching career, culminating in Headship, she spent ten years
at Telford & Wrekin Local Authority from its inception, undertaking a variety of
roles including leading on Early Years, Primary School Improvement and latterly
Planning & Performance. She is an accredited outcomes based accountability
trainer. Sue is married with one daughter age 17, and is a keen musician.
David Wood - Head of Finance and Planning Coordinator
David's previous job was working for six years at the New Deal for Communities
Regeneration Programme in south London. This involved undertaking finance and
monitoring duties as well as some project management and fundraising tasks. He
is currently doing an MA in Urban Regeneration and also does voluntary
activities relating to a local park and games area.
Tabitha Frangoullides – Head of Communications
Tabitha has an extensive background in public sector communications. This has
included roles in local authorities and at the Local Government Association,
where she has been involved in issues spanning performance, education and social
care. More recently, Tabitha has been leading a police press office team where
she has been responsible for the media handling of several major investigations.
Kim Drake – Executive Assistant
Kim has over 20 years experience in local government having worked in both a New
Town Development Corporation and a Local Authority. She has been the personal
assistant to Directors of Leisure, Culture and Community; Education and has
recently been the PA to the Director for Children and Young People. During this
time, Kim has also administered support to the Cabinet Member for Children and
Young People together with supporting Directors who held leading national roles
with ILAM (Institute of Leisure & Amenities Management) and the President of the
Association of Chief Education Officers.
Kim has previous experience of working in partnership, across numerous
organisations, as she has supported national projects such as the British
Academy of Sport (Olympic bid) and the Local Government Association’s ‘Narrowing
the Gap’ programme.
Sarah Fullegar - Office Manager
Sarah has most recently been working as the Administrative Officer for the Asylum
Support Partnership Team, hosted by the Refugee Council. Prior to this Sarah
completed a degree in Media and Cultural Studies and has travelled extensively.
Function Leads
Sharon O'Donnell – Knowledge Management
Sharon O’Donnell is Head of the International Information Unit at the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER). S
he is also Head of the Eurydice Unit for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, based at NFER.
Sharon has been with NFER for 16 years, amassing extensive experience in information services management and
national and international policy information on education. Sharon also chairs the Foundation’s Leadership Forum,
is a member of the Departmental Management team in NFER’s Research, Evaluation and Information Department
(REID0, and is involved in a number of international research projects at the NFER.
Amanda Edwards – Outputs and
Dissemination
Amanda Edwards is Head of Knowledge Services at the Social Care Institute for
Excellence, (SCIE) and a member of the senior management team reporting to the
Chief Executive. Amanda is responsible for the delivery of SCIE’s work
programme, which includes reviewing the evidence, the production and
dissemination of tools and materials for practice and the development of
web-based services such as Social Care Online.
Dez Holmes– Capacity Building
Dez Holmes is the Programme Manager for C4EO responsible for Capacity Building.
Dez has frontline experience within social care and youth offending services.
Prior her current role, Dez was employed by a Local Authority and worked across
directorates (Children & Young People’s Services and Neighbourhoods), managing
and coordinating integrated early intervention services to families.
She chaired multi-agency Locality Panels as part of this role and previously
managed a multi-agency youth justice programme (YISP). Other experience includes
working as a lecturer in Social Work MSc and several years of training and
workforce development.
Ivana La Valle – Evaluation
Ivana La Valle is the Director of Research, Evidence and Evaluation at the national
Children’s Bureau (NCB). Prior to this she was at the National Centre for Social
Research (NatCen) where she directed a group specialising in research on children
and their families. Since the introduction of the National Childcare Strategy in
1998, Ivana has been involved in some key studies which have been used to monitor
the implementation of the Strategy and inform its development.
While at NatCen she co-directed the evaluation of Children’s Centres, a large scale,
mixed methods study which aims to provide a powerful and wide-range evidence-base
on the best way of supporting children and their families. She also set up the evaluation
and monitoring of Family Support Projects (FIPs), which provide intensive support
to families with the highest level of need.
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Theme Leads and Theme Chairs
Sue Owen - Theme Lead and Theme Chair for Early Years
Sue Owen is the Director of the
Well-being Department at the National Children's Bureau and was previously
Director of the Early Childhood Unit there. In the past she has held a number of
posts in the early childhood field including Early Years Lead Officer for
Humberside County Council, Information Officer for the National Childminding
Association, Playgroup Adviser for Manchester City Council, and Deputy Director
of the Early Years National Training Organisation. Sue's latest book is
Authentic Relationships in Group Care for Infants and Toddlers – RIE Principles
into Practice (co-editor with Stephanie Petrie). Her doctoral dissertation
was on the development of professionalism in childminding.
Celia Atherton - Theme Lead and Theme Chair for Disability
Celia Atherton started as a social worker
in 1976 and has worked in local authorities as a practitioner and manager, and
in the voluntary sector as social work advisor and then Director of Family
Rights Group. Celia has co-ordinated the dissemination and implementation
strategies of two DfES research programmes - Fostering Now: messages from research
and Costs and Outcomes of Services for Children in Need, and is doing the same
for DCSF for the Quality Matters research programme. In addition to being a
member of the Nuffield Foundation's Child Protection and Family Justice
Committee, she is also a member of the Advisory Board for the English and
Romanian Adoptees Study, the National Academy for Parenting Practitioners
Scientific Advisory Group, the Editorial Advisory Board for the Children &
Young People Now journal, the International Editorial Advisory Board of
Evidence and Policy, and NFER's Advisory Group. She was awarded an OBE for
services to children and families in the 2007 New Year's Honours.
Mary Sainsbury - Theme Lead for Vulnerable (Looked After) Children
Mary Sainsbury is the Vulnerable
Children Theme Lead based at the Social Care Institute for Excellence. Mary is a
registered social worker who has held posts as a social worker and senior social
worker for Islington Local Authority, hospital social work manager for the local
borough of Hackney, child protection chair for Newham, and child protection
chair, and policy and development officer with the local borough of Camden.
Amanda Edwards - Theme Chair for Vulnerable (Looked After) Children
Amanda Edwards is Head of Knowledge Services at the Social Care Institute for Excellence, (
SCIE) and a member of the senior management team reporting to the Chief Executive.
Amanda is responsible for the delivery of SCIE’s work programme, which includes reviewing the evidence,
the production and dissemination of tools and materials for practice and the development of web-based
services such as Social Care Online.
Helen Goody - Theme Lead for Child Poverty
Helen Goody has worked for Kent
County Council for the past three years as a Joint Commissioning Officer with a
responsibility for planning and commissioning preventative and early
intervention services for children and young people with a range of partners.
She has also had a change management role influencing the development of local
children's services partnerships in Kent. Before that, Helen was a Programme
Manager for integrated children's services at the Local Government Association
and in particular, worked with national partners to influence the development of
Every Child Matters and the Children Act 2004.
Catherine Fitt - Theme Chair for Child Poverty
Catherine Fitt did a degree in Experimental Psychology at St Hugh's College,
Oxford University and teacher training at Goldsmith's College, University of
London. After three years teaching in London she returned to education, doing a
Masters Degree in Child Development and qualifying as a psychologist from the
Institute of Education, University of London.
Catherine worked as an educational psychologist in Hampshire and on Teesside
until nine years ago when she moved into management and administration, working
for children's services ever since, moving from the post of Change Leader of
Children's Services at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council in April 2005 to
become the Executive Director of Children's Services at Newcastle City Council.
Catherine is currently Strategic Director of Children’s Services at the National
College for Leadership of Schools and Children’s Services.
Trish Kearney – Theme Lead for Safeguarding
Patricia Kearney is Head of Children & Families Services at SCIE and is a
registered social worker. Prior to this she was Head of Practice Development at
NISW. Patricia has held a number of practitioner and manager posts, with particular
experience in child protection remits within adult mental health services.
She worked for several years as lecturer at Goldsmiths College, University
London, delivering the PG qualifying social work and advanced family work
programmes and as an honorary family therapist at the Maudsley Hospital
Children's Department.
John Coughlan – Theme Chair for Safeguarding
John Coughlan has been Director of Children’s Services in Hampshire County Council since 2005. Previously he was Corporate Director of Social Care in Telford and Wrekin Council and Assistant Director for Children and Families in Dudley Council.
His professional and managerial background was in Birmingham, primarily working with children in care.
Having been Chair of the Children and Families Committee of ADSS for two years, he became that association’s last President in 2006, before becoming Joint President of the Association of Director’s of Children’s Services.
Among other roles he has been a member of the Beacon Panel and the Lifting the Burdens Taskforce. He holds a degree in English and Art History, a CQSW and MBA.
John was awarded a CBE in the 2009 New Year honours list in recognition of his work for children’s services.
Sharon O'Donnell - Theme Lead for Schools and Communities
Sharon O’Donnell is C4EO’s function lead for Knowledge Management. She is Head of the International Information Unit at the National Foundation for
Education Research (NFER) and of the Eurydice Unit for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, based at NFER. Sharon has been with NFER for 16 years,
amassing extensive experience in information services management and national and international policy on education. She is also the former Chair of
Governors at her local primary school.
Neil Wilson – Theme Chair for Schools and Communities
Neil is Executive Headteacher at Newall Green High School, and Benchill Primary School 3-19 Federation in Wythenshawe, Manchester.
The 11-19 school has three specialisms: Expressive and Performing Arts (2000), Science with Mathematics (2004), and Vocational (2006),
It is an oversubscribed sixth form intake 11-19 community school. There are 1482 students within the federation.
The school has recently opened a sixth form and has completed at BSF building programme.
It recently featured on the promotional DVD for the DCSF for the 21st Century Schools consultation.
The federation has children with SLD, MLD and physical disabilities.
It operates its own full service school provision, including a social worker and CAMHS team.
Family support workers operate across the federation. Neil’s team also manages the school leisure centre which runs holiday clubs for vulnerable young people.
In an area that is dominated by Manchester United and Manchester City supporters, he maintains neutrality by supporting Stockport County for whom he was once on the coaching staff.
Sue Quinn - Theme Lead for Youth
Sue joined the National Youth Agency in 2004 and is an experienced National Programme Manager with an extensive background in services for young people. Her current role with the Agency is National Programme Manager - IYSS, with responsibility for a diverse portfolio including the 14-19 Agenda, and the improvement, quality and integration developments within Integrated Youth Support Services.
Previously Sue has been a Principal Youth Officer in the Merseyside area where she took lead responsibility for establishing and managing a restructure to create a more effective, responsive and creative service. With more than twenty five years experience, Sue has an extensive range of experience in both the voluntary and statutory youth sectors managing a variety of young people’s services.
John Harris - Theme Chair for Youth
John Harris has been Hertfordshire’s Director of Children, Schools and Families
since 2003. He joined Hertfordshire after a distinguished career in education, local
government and the private sector. John is Chair of the Association of Directors
of Children’s Services (ADCS) Policy Committee on Families, Communities and Young
People, and contributes to a number of national developments in children’s services.
Joanne Kellett - Theme Lead for Families, Parents and Carers
Joanne Kellett is
a Research Fellow at the Family and Parenting Institute. She has managed a
number of research, review and evaluation projects exploring parenting and
family relationships, funded by DCSF, Ministry of Justice, Joseph Rowntree
Foundation, ESRC and Nuffield Foundation. She previously held several research
posts in the Health and Social Work departments at the
University of East Anglia.
Joanne also manages the parents and carers panel for C4EO.
Deborah Absalom – Theme Chair for Families, Parents and Carers
Deborah has been Director of Children and Young People’s Services for the London
Borough of Bexley since May 2005 having formerly been the Borough’s Director of
Education. Previously, Deborah was Deputy Chief Executive of Education in Leeds,
Deputy Director of Education in Wigan and Assistant Director in Oldham. She started
her teaching career in Bolton following the completion of a research Doctorate in
Historical Geography.
Deborah is involved both in London and nationally across a full range of ‘children’s’
issues. In June 2008, Deborah was appointed as a Non-Executive Director of the Child
Maintenance and Enforcement Commission and in December 2009 as a member of the Governing
Council of the National College for School and Children’s Service Leadership (National
College).
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C4EO User Groups
Joanne Kellett - Parents and Carers Panel
Joanne Kellett is a Research Fellow at the Family and Parenting Institute. She
has managed a number of research, review and evaluation projects exploring
parenting and family relationships, funded by DCSF, Ministry of Justice, Joseph
Rowntree Foundation, ESRC and Nuffield Foundation. She previously held several
research posts in the Health and Social Work departments at the University of
East Anglia. Joanne is also the Theme Lead for the Families, Parents and Carers
theme.
Manveen Patwalia -
Children and Young People’s Network
Manveen joins the team as the lead on youth participation. She has worked for the
London Borough of Brent (famous for its Wembley Stadium) for the last seven years.
She has worked in the Youth and Connexions service, getting involved in both frontline
youth engagement as well as driving the strategic direction of youth participation.
Manveens' proudest and most successful project has been the development of Brent's
first ever youth parliament in 2007, set up to ensure the voices of the borough's
youngest residents are heard at the highest level of policy development and decision
making. Manveen has also got experience of partnership working, having managed various
projects founded as a result of the Every Child Matters Programme.
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Key C4EO Reviewers
Bryony Beresford, Senior Research Fellow, Social Policy Research Unit,
University of York (SPRU)
Bryony has worked in the field of childhood disability for over 15 years. Her
research projects have included both large scale national surveys as well as
qualitative work with children, parents and professional groups.
Tony Newman, Principal Research Officer, Barnado's
Tony has worked with Barnardo's since 1990. He previously worked as a social
worker in the USA and UK, and subsequently as a manager of community-based
learning disability services in South Wales.
Iram Siraj-Blatchford, Professor of Early Childhood Education, Institute
of Education, University of London.
Iram's recent research projects have included: An Evaluation of the Foundation
Phase across Wales, and she is a principal investigator of the major DCSF
15-year study on Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education (EPPSE
3-16) Project (1997-2013), and of the influential Researching Effective Pedagogy
in the Early Years (REPEY) project. Iram is interested in early childhood
education, pedagogy, curriculum, assessment and the impact of learning in school
and home.
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